Article handler



M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1955 Illl'i INVENTOR Mchael Waiter."

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wm. SMM- 1 ATTORNEY M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER Oct. 14, 1958 15 sheets-sheet 2 Filed April l5, 1955 NGE INVENTOR Mdqael Waiter t ATTORNEY Y M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER oct. 14, 195s Filed April 15, 1955 Y 15 sheets-sheet s FIG' 32 INVENTOR Micha@ Waiter".

BY l l Ww* @AAA-vw ATTORNEY M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER Oct. 14, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April l5, 1955 INVENTOR A Michael Waffer wm. R. MMM@ ATTQRNEY M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER oct. 14, 195s 1'5 sheets-sheet s Filed Aprl 15, 1955 INVENTOR Mkhclel Wafkr- ATTORNEY Odi.. I. M. MATTER` Y ARTICLE HANDLER.

FiledNApril 15, 1955 I 15 sheets-sheet e ATTORNEY vOct. 14, 1958 v M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER 15 sheets-SIMM 'I Filed Agril 15, 1955 INVENTOR Mich ad Wai Eel.

. ATTORNEY M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER oct. 14, 195s 15 Sheets-Sheet. 8

Filed April 15, 1955 INVENTOR Michael Waiter? Wx IP.

ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1958 M. wA'r'rl-:R

ARTICLE HANDLER 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed April 15, 1955 M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER Oct. 14, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 10.

Filed April l5, 1955 Oct. 14', 1958 I M. WATTER 2,856,079

ARTICLE HANDLER Filed April 15, 1955 15 sheets-sheet 11 FIGB l 'f'l.: INVENTOR Milcbl Waiter ATTORNEY M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER Oct. 14, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet' 12 Filed April 15, 1955 M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed April 15, 1955 R rx mum Nw@ VB wm md a m M E.. YW B M f2.

ATTORNEY M. WATTER ARTICLE HANDLER Oct. 14, 1958 15 Sheets-Shee Filed April 15, 1955 M. WATTER' ARTICLE HANDLER Oct. M, 1958 Filed April l5, 1955 15 Sheets-S N mmwmm oovnAloon Sdn.

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00N N Alonm @wwwa INVENTOR Michael Waiter ATTORNEY United States Patent O ARTICLE HANDLER Michael Watter, Philadelphia, Pa., assgnor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 15, 1955, Serial No. 501,586

16 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to server or handler apparatus for transferring articles from one machine or position vto another and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

The invention is in some respects related to that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 475,498, led December l5, 1954, now Patent No. 2,815,866, December l0, 1957.

One of the particular objects of` the invention is the provision of relatively simple apparatus which will move articles under positive positional control from one machine or position to another.

Another object is to provide means for handling articles of relatively complex shape.

` Another object is to provide improved means for holding an article and means for shifting it from one holding means to another.

Another object is to provide improved guide means for supporting an article while it is being moved, the guide means including extensible and retractible elements and also foldable elements for bridging a gap or for movement to clear adjacent parts when the server is being moved or when it is out of use.

The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of certain eX- emplary embodiments, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal section through a machine embodying the invention, the view being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; n

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view, similar to Fig. 1 but with parts omitted, to show the parts in the pause or rest position;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view like Fig. 4 but `with the carriage at the pull-out end of its stroke;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view like Fig. 4 but with the carriage at the push-in end of its stroke;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view like Fig. 4 but with the carriage in the Fig. 6 position and the workpieces released from their engaging devices;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a workpiece gripper shown at the left of Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the gripper proper shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. l0 is a vertical section taken on the line 10--1 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a transverse view taken on the line 11--11 ofFig.

Fig. 12 is a view like Fig. 8 but showing the gripper in open position;

Fig. 13 is a section taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a section taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a side elevation and section of a workpiece 2,855,079 Patented Oct. 14, 1958 ICC gripper and programming means shown at the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 16 is a longitudinal side elevation and vertical section of a bridge track and its operating means, the view being taken on the line 16-16 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 17 is a left end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 isa vertical section taken on the line 18-18 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 19-19 of Fig. 16; l

Fig. 20 is a view like Fig. 1 but showing a modification for handling a workpiece of dilerent shape, the view being taken on the line 20-20 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 2l is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a transverse section taken on the line 22-22 of Fig. 2l;

Fig. 23 is a diagrammatic view, like Fig. 20 but with parts omitted, showing the parts at the rest or pause position;

Fig. 24 is a view like Fig. 23 but with the parts at the pull-out end of the stroke and the suction cups in engagement with workpieces;

Fig. 25 is a view like Fig. 24 but with an intermediate workpiece engaged by seating means on the carriage;

Fig. 26 is a view like Fig. 23 but showing the carriage near mid-stroke;

Fig. 27 is a view like Fig. 23 but showing the parts at the push-in end of the stroke;

Fig. 28 is a view like Fig. 27 but showing the workpieces released from the workpiece holding means on the carriage and two workpieces engaged by Xed-position holding means;

Fig. 29 (on the sheet with Fig. 20) `is a diagrammatic plan view of the carriage operating mechanism, shown at the rest position of Fig. 4 or Fig. 23;

Fig. 30 is a view like Fig. 29 but showing the carriage at mid-stroke position;

Fig. 31 is a view like Fig. 29 but showing the carriage at one side of and near mid-stroke position;

' Fig. 32 (on the sheet with Fig. 3) is a section through a suction cup of Fig. 20;

Fig. 33 is a plan view of another modification in which the push-in end of the machine has been altered to deliver the workpiece to transporting means instead of feeding it to another machine;

Fig. 34 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of the machine shown in Fig. 33 with the parts at the rest or pause position;

Fig. 35 is a view like Fig. 34 but showing the parts at the pull-out end of the stroke;

Fig. 36 is a view like Fig. 34 but showing the parts as the carriage approaches the right end of its stroke;

Fig. 37 is a view like Fig. 34 but showing the parts at the right end of the carriage stroke;

Fig. 38 is a view like Fig. 37 but with the parts released from the carriage, a workpiece passing oi on the conveyor belt and a workpiece engaged by the Xed station holding means; and

Fig. 39, comprising the parts 39a and 39b, is a wiring diagram.

General Organization The several embodiments shown are all alike in their basic organization in that they include a reciprocating carriage having means to take an article from one machine and move it along rails to another machine or position together with travelling and non-travelling holders for transferring the article between them so as to move it in successive stages of travel and to hold it securely while halted between stages of travel.

3 In the first embodiment (Figs. l-l9), where a smooth sheet (i. e., not cupped) is handled, the sheet pull-out and push-in means comprise grippers for engaging the edge of the sheet. In the other embodiments, where the article has been cupped and presents a vertical transversef, surface, vacuum cups are used for engaging the article.

In the rst embodiment, the smooth sheetitravels along xed track rails inthe embrace of a carriage holder and the non-travelling holders move the articleupand dowri` to permit the travelling carrier to move -underI it; inthe other embodiments, where the articleis channel-shaped with the open side down, both the travelling and nontravelling holders move up and down relative tothe xed track rails along which the article movesl and uponV mechanism such as a conveyor.

Main frame Referring to the rstembodiment, Figs. 1-19, the server or handler illustrated comprises a main frame having a number of legs 31 provided each with a foot unit 32 which telescopically ts the leg and is secured thereto by bolts 33 entered in a selected set of holes in the leg. Each foot unit comprises a caster mounting 35 movable up and down in guides 36 and a jack 37 having its stem 38 connected to a bracket39 for moving the caster 40 and its mounting up and down on the foot unit. In the present instance a hydraulic jack is used and has associated with it a uid pump 41 having an operating handle 42. In theV foot unit there is threaded the stem 43 of a foot pad 44 which is brought down to rest on the door after the handler has been moved on its casters. Normally the handler is set up in proper working position on the pads 43 and they are locked in position. When the handler is to be moved, the casters are forced down to raise it 01T itsV pads and when the handler is brought back into operating position the casters are raised and the handler set back downonpits pads. By marking the spots where the pads stand on the door, `the correct operating position of the handler is established Aand itis necessary to make only one operating set-up adjustment. The machine also may be picked up and moved by a crane or the like.

Carriage operating means The main frame 30 is provided with ways 50 upon which is mounted a reciprocable carriage 51. The carriage is reciprocated by any suitable means, such, for example, as that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 394,397, tiled November 25, 1953, now Patent No. 2,711,101. As here shown (see also Figs. 29-3l), the reciprocating mechanism comprises a crankshaft 52 op erated by a motor drive unit 53, this unit including besides the motor a reduction gear unit and a clutch-brake device 53a by which the operation can be precisely controlled.

The shaft 52 turns a crank arm 54 which is connected to the rigid tubular cross beam 55 of the carriage by a connecting rod 56. At the carriage the connecting rod 56 turns on a pin 57 and at the crank arm the connecting rod turns about a crank pin 58. At the crank pin 58 a cam arm 59 extends reversely from the connecting rod 56 and on its outer end carries a cam roller 60 which cooperates with open dared-end cams 61 which are fixed to the frame at each side on a transverse line passing through the crankshaft axis. By this arrangement the carriage is reciprocated past the crankshaft axis, the cam arm moving it past central position where the connecting rod drive is inelective.

Electrical controls are provided for coordinating the action of various elements of the machine and the action of these controls is tied in with the action of the carriage through the operation of a camshaft 65 driven positively from the crankshaft and at the same speed through a sprocket belt 66 or the like. The electrical controls are located in a panel box 67 at the other side of the handler.

Workpiece supporting rails Normally tixed but vertically adjustable track rails 70 are secured on the main frame at an elevation above the carriage to support the article or workpiece W which here has the form of a smooth sheet bent down in the middle. The ends 70a of the track rails 7'0 are hinged, as at 71, to allow them to swing up out of the way when the handler is to be moved. In their lowered position the ends 70a are supported by inclined braces 72.

Bridge rails Extensible and retractible bridging rails (Figs. 2, l6-l9) are provided at one or both ends of the handler, depending on whether they are needed,lfor supporting the article as it moves between the handler and the served machine. These bridging rails reach places where fixed rails would interfere with the moving parts of the served machine, the movable rails being extended when the served machine parts are retracted andbeing withdrawn before the served machine parts act on the workpiece.

The extensible or supplemental track rails 75 are 0perated by a power device 76, here a Hind-operated cylinder-piston device having a fixed piston rod 77 and a movable cylinder. At'its outer end the piston rod is secured to a crfss bar 78 secured between the hinged ends '70a of the track rails 70 and at its inner end is hinged toa bracket 79 secured to the'rnain frame. The auxiliary rails arethus adapted to be swung up with the hinged ends of themain track rails. The supplemental rails 75 slide on guides 80 carried by the cross bar 78; hence all parts swing up together when the main track rails are swung up.` The extended position of the bridge rails is adjusted by adjilstable clamps 81 on the cylinder which securey the rails to the cylinder] The height of the cross bar`78 and bridge rails 75 carried thereon is adjustable by clamps 82 carried by the bar 78 and secured to depending slotted projections 83 carried by the rail extensions 70d.

Vertically movable bars Means are provided for moving the workpiece up and down relative to the lixed track rails 70 so that the travelling articley holders may move beneath the article on a return stroke. The means herein provided for raising and lowering the workpiece at the xed positions or index stations comprises a bar 8 5 on each side between the rails 70, a bar at each side being actuated by reciprocating power devices 86, including a cylinder and piston, which are mounted on a cross bar of the main frame. At each end the bars carry longitudinally adjustable standards or guides 87 adapted to embrace the front and rear edges of the workpiece. The standards are tapered on-the inner sides to guide the workpiece down to a precise position.

Carriage bars Means are provided for holding a workpiece on the carriage so that it moves with the carriage along the xed track rails, the means here shown comprising bars 90 secured at each side to the cross beam of the carriage and having standards or `guides 91 adjustably secured thereto so as to embrace the leading and trailing edges of the workpiece. The inner edges of the standards are tapered to guide the workpiece down to precise position.

War/piece engaging means-grppers-programming Means are provided for engaging vand moving the workpiece out of one forming machine at one end of the handier and for moving it into another machine at the other end of the handler. The workpiece engaging means also has movement relative to the carriage so that the total movement of the engaging means and the workpiece is greater than the length of movement of the carriage. This overtravel, which is subject to length adjustment, may be referred to as programming. One form of apparatus for providing such movement is disclosed in the first copending application referred to above.

In the tirst embodiment, where the article to be handled is smooth and bent inv only one plane, the article engaging means comprise grippers or hands 95 carried on the outer ends of arms 96. The arms 96 on the push-in end (and on the pull-out end also if the press requires it) are extended and retracted each by a power device, here a cylinder-piston device 97 in which the arm 96 is formed as a continuation of the piston rods 96a.

There are two such feed hands at each end of the machine and the two operate together. The cylinders 97 (at the right of Fig. 1) or the arms 96 (shown at the left of Fig. l) are fixed on the carriage with provision for vertical adjustment of the outer ends of the arms. As shown, a cylinder (or arm) is hinged at its rear end on a pivot shaft 98 to brackets 99 carried by a base plate 100 which is secured fast on the carriage. At the front end of the cylinder (or at a point along the arm) there is a link connection 101 with a vertically movable slide 102 mounted in a guide 103 carried by the base plate 100. A hand screw 104 threaded in the plate and turnable in a projection of the slide serves to move the front end of the cylinder (or arm) up and down. A hand lock screw 106 holds the hand screw 104 in adjusted positions.

The piston rod 96a and hand are held against turning in the cylinder by yokes 110 secured to each end and between them carrying a guide rod 111 which moves in guides 112 formed on the heads of the cylinder. The yokes 110 are adjustably connected to both cylinder rod and guide rod and carry bumper pads 113 which cooperate with the cylinder ends so that the piston rod may be adjusted for any desired length of stroke toward either end of the cylinder. With length adjustment and height adjustment of the separate cylinders, a wide range of adaptation for orientation at the presses is provided.

Each gripper 95 is adapted to open and close to grip .the edge of the sheet and has some free vertical movement to adapt itself to the position of the edge of the sheet asit grips it.

Grppers As shown in Figs. 8-15, the gripper comprises a base 116 of inverted channel shape which is secured to the end of the arm 96 by welding, as at 117. l A bifurcated gripper support 118 is secured to the base 116, as by bolts 119. A lower jaw 120 is pivotally connected at 121 to the side plates or furcations 118a of the support 118 and at the sides has elongated slots 122 embracing rollers 123 carried by pins 124 secured to the side plates 118:1.

An upper jaw 125 is pivoted to the lower jaw at 126 and at 127 is pivotally connected to the outer end of a jawoperating piston rod 128. The piston rod is operated by a piston in a cylinder 129 pivoted at its rear end at 130 to a bracket 131 bolted to the base 116. The jaws are provided with pads 132, as of nylon or other suitable material, for securely gripping the sheet without marring it.

It will be seen that when the gripper approaches a sheet edge, the upper jaw is swung far back and the lower jaw stands below any position which the edge of the sheet is likely to assume. When the piston rod moves out, it swings the upper jaw over against the top of the sheet and by further movement swings the lower jaw up against the bottom of the sheet to grip it against the upper jaw. When the gripper releases the sheet the jaws resume their original positions. The upper jaw is now fully clear of the sheet so the sheet can be moved up, as previously described.

Second embodiment The second embodiment (Figs. 20-28) is like the rst in most of itsparts and functions, and the parts will be designated by the same reference characters as in the rst embodiment but with a prime added. The second form is different in that it handles parts of a different shape and has been altered to handle the channel-shaped section which the workpieces W1 now assume.

Suction cups Armi lift means Another dilerence is that while the cylinder-piston assembly 97, etc. of the rst embodiment was only moved up and down for adjustment through slide 102 and link 101, the present cylinder-piston device 97 hinged at 98 is not only moved up and down for basic height adjustment, but is also moved up and down at each stroke to raise and lower the arms and cups to engage or pass the channel-shaped workpiece. For this purpose the link 101 is replaced by a cam device 101 which is secured to a projection 100' carried by the carriage and the cylinder carries a cam roller 137 which moves along the cam. The rod 96 has vertical adjustment relative to the cylinder by means generally denoted by the numeral 138.

Carriage lift bars Another difference is that while in the rst embodiment only the lift bars moved up and down, in the second embodiment the carriage bars also move up and down to accommodate for the deep channel-shaped workpiece W1. For this purpose the bars 90' on the carriage are provided with cylinder-piston devices 92. One of the power devices may be pivotally connected, as at 93, to a bracket on the carriage cross beam 55. Adjustable stop collars 94 are provided on the piston rods 92a for controlling the length and range of vertical movement of the bars 90. The workpiece guides 91 are of the inside-tting type and are adjustable along the length of the bars.

The guides 87 of the lift bars 85' are also of the insidetting type and adjustable along the length of the bars.

Arm length adjustment The suction cup mounting arms or bars 96 preferably are adjustable along their length, as at 96b, to lit different locations of the side of the workpiece in the press.

Third embodiment Y The third embodiment (Figs. 33-38) is in many re-A spects like the second embodiment and basically in frame, carriage and operation is like the first embodiment, and the same reference characters will be used for like parts but with a double prime added.

The principal difference between the third form and the second form is that in the third form'the article holding means, herethe suction cups and arms 96", are provided on only one end of the handler and a conveyor belt 140 is provided at the other end. The belt could be oriented in various directions according to need but here is arranged to take articles out laterally so is mounted in a trough 141 which is directed to the side. Rolls 142 at the ends of the trough support the belt and one of the rolls 142 is driven by a motor gear unit 144. Since the belt can travelcontinuously, the motor unit can run continuously once a run is started, the motor unit running independently of the drive for the handler carriage and other intermittently operating parts.

One of the fixed trackrails 70 is shortened and bent down to allow one end' of the workpiece to drop down on the belt, the belt then pulling the other end off the other rail.

The workpiece exchange on the rails is required at only one end so the lift bars 85" are hinged at the belt end on fixed pivots 85a and are swung up and down at the other end by the cylinder-piston devices 86" at that end.

The workpiecey holdingguides 91" of the carriage are of the inside type, as in the second form, but the carriage is employed to` push workpieces W3 along the rails 70", so for this purpose supplemental pusher elements 91a are provided on the carriage bars 90".

The bridge rail means and the operating means therefor are as shown for the other forms. The arms on the pull-out side and their operation by` cylinders and cams are like those of the second form.

Operation-second form-general The operation of the second form will be explained by reference to the wiring diagram. This form is selected because it has more powered elements than the other forms and its operation generally embraces the operation of the other forms.

The rest position of the machine (Fig. 23) is about at the 300 point on its crankshaft circle, the 0 position being taken as the end of the carriage stroke toward the press on the pull-out end.

The first action (Fig. 24) is a movement of the carriage from the 300 rest position toward the press on the pull-out end. As the carriage moves out, the article carrying arms 96 on the pull-out end move up and out toward the pressfor bringing the article-engaging means (here vacuum cups 95') into position for engagement with the article.

During the same time the bridge rails 75 on the pull-out end are pushed out toward the press.

Shortly after the carriage starts moving and at about the position, the arms on the push-in end move out and up (Fig. 24) to engage an article which is resting on the track rails 70 at the second fixed index station, the fixedstation guides being at that time in the act of moving down to release the article.

The carriage guides move up (Fig. 25) to engage an f article resting on the rails at the first fixed index station as the guides of the fixed station move down to place it on the rails and disengage it.

The parts pause at the 360 or 0 position and at the 180 position to assure proper transfer of the three workpieces which are to be moved by the carriage on its forward stroke, also proper clearance of press parts from the article. The article engaging means are energized to engage articles on both pull-out and push-in ends as the article engaging means (here suction cups) arrive in proper position.

On the forward stroke (from the 0 to 360 position toward the 180 position) the bridge rails 75' on the pullout end are moved in away from the press on that end and the bridge rails on the push-in end are moved out by means on the handler toward the press on that end; that is, they are moved out by means on the handler unless they have already been moved by other means which will be noted later.

The movement of the articles on both the pull-out end and the push-in end in indicated automatically by limit switches, to be described later, to assure that the articles are present and also that they are moving evenly and not at an angle.

As the articles approach .the 180 position the article engaging means release them. The article on the pullout end continues to move on the rails by inertia into proper position-whereit is engaged by the guide means at the first fixed indexl station. The suction cups are still positioned in frontl of the article to prevent overtravel (Fig. 27). The article on the'push-in endeontinues to move by inertia but the suction cups follow it to push it if necessary. The intermediate article which is being carried by the carriage guides is transferred to the fixed station guides at the second fixed index station at about the position.

As the carriage nears the 180 position on the forward stroke, the arm-retracting means of the pull-out arms are energized andv before the carriage starts to return the pull-outV arms are retracted and lowered (Fig. 28) so that the suction cups move back-behind the bottom flange of the article and downV below the article being held at the first fixed indexA station so as to pass under it on the return stroke. The push-in arms are retracted and lowered to pass beneathY the article being held at the second fixed index station on the carriage return movement (Fig. 23).

Motor run For any given run the carriage drive motor unit 53 is started and runs continuously. Its clutch 53a' is engaged for each cycle of operation and this engagement is dependent on the condition of the press P1 with which the pull-out arms cooperate and of the press P2 with which the push-in arms cooperate, if under automatic control, or on a manual impulse if under hand control. Reference is now made to Figs. 39a and 39b which will be described along with the cycle of operation. The motor is started by pressing a pushbutton PB-1 which energizes a relay Z to close a triple-blade switch Z-l to start the motor and to close its own lock-in switch Z-2. There are certain safety devices to stop the motor, but these are not shown. The motor can be stopped at any time by opening a stop push-button PB-2 which deenergizes relay Z. The relay Z has another switch Z-3 in a lock-in start circuit, to be described later, to assure that the clutch cannot be operated unless the motor is running.

Stop position As previously stated, the carriage is normally stoppedA after each cycle of operation at about the 300 crankshaft position where all parts of the handler stand clear of both presses P1 and P2. Here a workpiece W1 is positioned on the guides of each of the two fixed index stations. On the handler cams the zero position is shown at about 60 clockwise from the vertical; on the press cams the zero position is on the vertical line.

In automatic, presses control server The carriage clutch operation is under the supervision Of the presses being served. Before the clutch can be engaged, both presses must be in a safe position to cooperate properly with the server or handler. This is indicated by the closure 0f switch Pl-l of press P1 and switch P2-1 of press P2, both connected in the run lockin circuit of the handler, as will be described.

Flow control Also, it must be shown that workpieces have been properly moved by the pull-out and push-in arms and that the workpieces have been moved evenly. On the pull-out side a flow check cam switch A23-1 operated by a cam A8 of the handler is kept closed (313 to 96) until after the workpiece has been moved out of the press P1 by a safe distance, but is opened (96 to 313) as the workpiece starts forward and while it is passing limit switches LS-l, LS-Z carried on each side by rails 70. The limit switches LS-l, LS-2 are in series with a cancelling switch A5-1 of a handler cam A5 which is opened at about 318 to 329 and is closed at all other assente tifs. f a workpiece is being fed and fed evenly at some time before A8-1 opens at 96, both switches LS-l and LS-2 will be closed and a workpiece position relay S will be energized. It will lock in past the `limit switches on its lock switch S-1 and will also close a switch S-Z which is in parallel with the cam switch A8-1. Either the switch A8-1 or the switch S-2 will energize a ow check relay K. As stated, the switch A81 is closed from 313 to 96 and switch S-2 is closed from the time the limit switches are closed (some time prior to 96) until relay S is deenergized by cam A between 318 and 329. Consequently, if a workpiece has been pulled out correctly, the flow control relay K is kept closed all the time. Relay K has a switch K-l in the lock-in circuit of the handler.

Similarly, push-in ow control limit switches LS-3 and LS-4 are in series with cancelling switch A5-1 to'energize a workpiece position relay R if a workpiece is pushed in properly. Relay R locks in past the limit switches on its lock switch R-l. It also closes a switch R-2 in parallel with a switch A7-1 operated by a handler cam A7. The cam A7 holds its switch A7-1 closed between 307 and 86 to keep a flow check relay J energized. If switch R-Z keeps the relay J energized between 86 and 307 as` it will if a workpiece has been pushed out properlythe relay J will be energized continuously and will keep its switch J-l in the lock-in circuit closed.

Handler controls presses The pull-out ow control relay K has a switch K-Z in the lock-in circuit of the press P1 so the press can not run unless the workpiece has been taken from it and fed forward properly.

The push-in ow control relay I has a switch J-2 in the lock-in circuit of the press P2 so the press cannot run unless the workpiece has been properly presented to it.

There are other safety provisions between the handler and presses for checking the position of the handler bridge rails and the press ejectors which will be described later. For the moment it will be assumed that these parts are positioned at the proper places at the proper times.

Ran lock-n The switches P1-1, P2-1, Z-3, K-l and J-1 are in series in the circuit of a lock-in relay D. If they are all closed, and if a position-check cam switch A4-1 of a handler cam A4 is closed (closed 285 to 312), and if a lock-in pushbutton PB-3 is closed, the relay D will be energized. It locks in on its lock switch D-1 past both the pushbutton and cam switch.

Clutch engaged Energization of lock-in relay D also closes a switch D-2 in the circuit of a clutch relay N. There is a switch YT-l of a time delay relay YT in the circuit. of switch D-2 and relay N.

The handler lock-in relay D also has a switch D-3 in the lock circuit of press P1.

Relay YT is energized after a slight time delay after the presses are ready for the server to operate. For eX- ample, either press P1 (or both P1 and P2 together if required) may give a starting impulse at a cam switch PlC-l of cam PlC, or press P2 may give a starting impulse at switch PZC-1 of cam PZC. Closure of either PIC-1 or PZC-1 will energize a relay WT which at once closes its lock switch WT-I and after a time delay closes a switch WT-Z-DC (DC meaning a time delay in closing). Closure of WT-Z-DC energizes relay YT which at once closes the switch YT-l, referred to above, and after a time delay opens its switch YT-Z-TO (TO meaning a time delay to open). The opening of YT-Zf-TO deenergizes both relay YT and relay WT.

When clutch relay N is energized by the closure of YT-l it closes its lock switchN-l which is ina line 'i0 to the hinge side of a swing cam switch 3-1 having a lower contact A3-1A and an upper contact A3-1B.

The switch A3-1 is operated by a handler cam A3 which closes A3-1 to A3-1A between about 250 to 320 and closes A3-1 to A3-1B between about 320 to 250. Shortly after A3-1B is closed the timing switch YTLZ-TO opens to deenergize YT and open YT-l and leavesrelay N locked in at its lock switch N-1 and A3-1B. A switch N-2 operated by relay N causes the clutch 53a' to be engaged. When switch A3-1B is opened by the cam A3 at about 250, the clutch is released and the cycle is over. The carriage moves to its usual stopping point under such inertia as it may have. As stated. the stopping point is approximately at 300. If the carriage stops somewhat earlier, say at 285, the operation is not disturbed.

' Carriage pause at each end It has 'been noted above that it is helpful to provide a pause at each end of the carriage stroke. The means herein provided for this purpose comprises a doublelobed cam A1 which closes its switch A1-1 at 141 to 151 and at 330 to 340. Closure of switch A1-1 energizes a time delay relay HT which at once closes its switch HT-l and opens its switch HT-Z-TC, both at the clutch. The switches HT-l and HT-Z-TC are in parallel with each other but in series with the switch N-Z which remains closed except at the end of a cycle. Relay HT is soon deenergized to open HT-l and disengage the clutch, and after a time delay HT-Z-TC recloses and reengages the clutch.

Feed arms operated-programming The pull-out arms 96 are moved back and forth as required by their cylinder-piston devices 97 through the action of a handler cam A13 which closes its switch A13-1 at about 308 to 168 to energize a valve solenoid 97-VC1 and cause the arms to move outwardly toward the press P1. When the switch A13-1 opens, the arms return to their inboard position. This is a fail-safe condition if the valve solenoid 97-VC1 should fail.

The push-in arms 96 are similarly operated by a handler cam A14 which closes its switch A14-1 at about 331 to 164 to energize a valve solenoid 97-VC2 to move the `arms out toward press P2, the arms being retracted when the switch opens at 164.

Article engaging means operated The article engaging means, here the suction cups are energizedl by supplying air to their injector nozzles by a valve (or valves) which is opened when a valve solenoid coil 135-VC is energized. The coil is energized by the closure of a cam switch A11-ll at about 324 to by a handler cam A11.

Carriage and )xed index station guides moved ap and down Since the carriage and xed index station guides are moved at the same time but in opposite directions, they are all moved from a single control. A handler cam A12 closes its switch A12-1l at about 320 to 168 and opens it at about 168 to 320. There is some time lag for the fluid-actuated devices 86 and 92' to act so the actual transfer of articles will be made near the ends of the carriage stroke. The linear movement of the car-4 riage will be very small relative to the angular movement of the crankshaft at the ends of the stro-ke, hence the transfer is easily made.

Closure of switch A12-1 energizes a valve solenoid i 

